Experts hand out final grades for New York Giants in 2025 NFL draft

[ASFN Admin]

The 2025 NFL draft reached its end on Saturday evening and for the New York Giants, they came away with an impressive seven-pick haul, including a first-round quarterback.

Over the first two days, the Giants selected two potential starters in edge rusher Abdul Carter, arguably the best player in the draft, and defensive tackle Darius Alexander. Jaxson Dart may also be their quarterback of the future.

They continued beefing up their roster on Day 3, adding impressive talent such as running back Cameron Skattebo and offensive lineman Marcus Mbow.

Here's how NFL experts and analysts graded Big Blue's full draft haul:

CBS Sports: A​

From Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports:

General manager Joe Schoen was in dire need of a home-run draft, and he went full Aaron Judge on draft weekend. Carter can be an All-Pro edge rusher in short order, and while Dart comes with some risk because of the gimmicky offense in which he operated in college, that's why Brian Daboll is the head coach.

Alexander is a dynamic chess piece next to Dexter Lawrence with serious power and athletic gifts, and I love the complementary tandem of Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Cam Skattebo in the backfield.

Mbow can be a mobility-based guard -- or right tackle in a pinch -- and Fidone is a towering, receiving based tight end who'll push Theo Johnson. Lastly, Korie Black, the speedy, feisty, Oklahoma State cornerback in Round 7 was tremendous. He'll be a playmaker on this defense.

USA TODAY: A-​

From Nate Davis, USA TODAY:

They might have gotten the draft’s best player in OLB Abdul Carter, who could be a reasonable facsimile of fellow Penn Stater Micah Parsons … even if Carter doesn’t understand he’s not worthy of wearing GOAT OLB Lawrence Taylor’s No. 56. But to get back into the first round for QB Jaxson Dart, essentially at the cost of two third-rounders and with no reason to play him prematurely with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston around, might be the move that truly gets this franchise back on course ... while keeping HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen in their posts. All of that aside, good odds that bulldozing fourth-round RB Cam Skattebo winds up as the favorite pick of Big Blue's starved fans.

NFL.com: A​

From Chad Reuter, NFL.com:

Taking the immensely talented Carter made sense despite already having Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the edge. Trading two third-round picks (this year's and next) was a reasonable price to trade back into the first round for a potential future starting quarterback in Dart. Alexander has the upside to be a playmaker lined up next to star Dexter Lawrence.

Skattebo loves to power through contact and finish runs; he'll be a stud if able to improve his stamina. Using one of the picks acquired from Seattle in the Leonard Williams trade, Mbow was drafted as a guard but was selected two rounds later than anticipated. He could also play center or tackle. Fidone was an excellent seventh-round pick for a team wanting another receiving threat.

The Washington Post: A​

From Mark Maske, The Washington Post:

There’s much to like about what the Giants did, staying put at No. 3 to take Abdul Carter and then trading back up into the first round to get Jaxson Dart. Carter is a defensive difference-maker as a pass rusher. He and Travis Hunter were widely regarded as the best players in this class. Dart becomes the team’s quarterback of the future. It was a trade the Giants had to make, and targeting Dart as their preferred quarterback is justifiable. Getting running back Cam Skattebo in the fourth round was a good value and an intriguing pick. Whether it’s enough to turn around the franchise and save the jobs of General Manager Joe Schoen and Coach Brian Daboll remains to be seen. But the Giants did the right things during this draft, at least.

ESPN: A-​

From Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN:

This was a critical draft for coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. The Giants lost 14 games last season and have issues all over the roster, including at the most important position. They brought in Russell Wilson to start at quarterback, but I don't think he's much of an upgrade on what they had a year ago. Could they find their passer of the future this weekend?

Giants fans should feel a lot better about their favorite team's future. I liked what the team did Thursday night, getting edge rusher Abdul Carter early and then trading up to take QB Jaxson Dart. Carter is a special talent who finished as my No. 2 overall prospect. He could be an instant star, boosting a pass rush that already is the strength of the roster. And while I graded Shedeur Sanders higher than Dart, it's clear Daboll and Schoen disagreed.

Dart, my No. 28-ranked prospect, has a lot of potential, but I don't think he will have a Jayden Daniels-like rookie season. In fact, it seems the Giants want him to sit behind Wilson (and Jameis Winston) and let him adjust to the speed of the NFL. If that's the case, Daboll and Schoen are banking on getting more time to work with him and seeing him star in 2026. For their sake, I hope they're right. (They also dealt away a 2026 third-rounder in the move to get Dart.)

I liked New York's moves throughout the rest of the draft, too. It added Darius Alexander, a do-it-all defensive tackle who fits well next to Dexter Lawrence II, in Round 3. I expect him to make an impact as a rookie. Running back Cam Skattebo can punish defenses between the tackles. Marcus Mbow is my favorite guard in the class, and the Giants got him nearly two rounds later than where I had him rated. Watch -- he'll find snaps on offense in 2025.

This is a nice class from top to bottom. I won't quibble too much with the front office's preference for Dart over Sanders. Based on the quality of prospects in this group, it's an A-.

The Ringer: A​

From Danny Kelly, The Ringer:

I loved that they held their ground with their top pick and grabbed a blue-chip playmaker in Abdul Carter, adding a springy, super disruptive edge rusher to an already strong defensive line. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Jaxson Dart, but the team didn’t have to give up much to move back into the first round (surrendering a third-round pick this year and another next year) to take their quarterback of the future. Dart has a strong arm and excellent mobility, bringing a dynamic skill set for Brian Daboll to develop. He’ll benefit from sitting behind Russell Wilson early on. I loved that the Giants looked to the defensive line again in the third round, adding strength on strength in the form of a slippery disruptor in Darius Alexander. The Toledo product is well built and twitchy, and when paired with Dexter Lawrence, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, this Giants defensive line could really make life tough for opposing quarterbacks.

Past that, I am a big fan of Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, who runs with an infectious, intensity-raising edge. He’ll help in the passing game too. I thought the fifth-round selection of Marcus Mbow was a massive value as well. The Purdue standout was my 47th-ranked player. All in all, Joe Schoen picked up a bevy of immediate contributors and a possible future starter at quarterback.

FOX Sports: A-​

From Rob Rang, FOX Sports:

The Giants have yet to announce their decision on Kayvon Thibodeaux's fifth-year option, but drafting speed rusher Abdul Carter at No. 3 overall is a statement in itself. The two couldn't be much different. Thibodeaux is more of a power player, whereas Carter is greased lightning off the edge; each should excel on a defensive front that already boasts two established stars in Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns. While Carter offers an immediate impact — I think he should be the early favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors — give GM Joe Schoen credit for playing the long game, as well, by aggressively trading back into the first round to nab Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. The talented young signal-caller should get the time needed on the sideline to watch and learn effectively with veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston already on the roster.

Normally, middle-round picks are the ones requiring patience, but that may not be the case with their haul. Darius Alexander is among the more pro-ready defensive tackles in this class, with a veteran carpenter's tool belt of pass-rush moves. The same could be said for the runaway freight train that is running back Cam Skattebo — a seemingly perfect "Thunder" to the "Lightning" combination of speedier Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. I also thought offensive tackle Marcus Mbow was a steal in the fifth round.

Associated Press: B+​

From Rob Maaddi, Associated Press:

Got premier edge rusher Abdul Carter (3) and traded back into the first round to snag QB Jaxson Dart (25) a round early. DL Darius Alexander (65), RB Cam Skattebo (105) and OT Marcus Mbow (154) were high value in rounds 3-4-5. TE Thomas Fidone II (219) is a seventh-rounder with potential to be a playmaker.

Bleacher Report: A​

From Kristopher Knox, Bleacher Report:

It's hard not to love what the Giants accomplished on opening night. General manager Joe Schoen didn't panic in his search for a quarterback of the future but landed him anyway by staying patient.

At the top of Round 1, the Giants simply let the draft's best pure defender fall to them at No. 3. Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter, the second-ranked overall prospect on the B/R board, should be an immediate difference-maker.

There should now be some questions, however, about what the future holds for Kayvon Thibodeaux in New York.

Schoen then traded back into Round 1 to snag Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart. While Dart was ranked below Colorado's Shedeur Sanders by the B/R Scouting Department, seeing Dart become the second signal-caller off the board was not surprising. His big arm, athleticism and scrambling ability always made him a sensible fit for Biran Daboll's offense.

"I’m told Daboll was a key driving force behind New York trading back into the first round to take him," Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz posted to X on Thursday.

Trading back into Round 1 without surrendering a future first-round pick—the move cost Schoen the 34th and 99th picks, along with a 2026 third-rounder—should be seen as a big win.

Darius Alexander should add valuable depth to New York's defensive front, while Cam Skattebo could help reshape the team's offensive identity.

"Be prepared for Skattebo to make regular appearances on Angry Runs. The first-team All-American plays with a level of power and passion that can't be denied," Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski wrote while giving the Giants an "A" grade for the Skattebo pick.

The Giants did a great job of finding players who can contribute early while adding a quarterback of the future. Of course, it remains to be seen whether that'll be enough to save the jobs of Schoen and Daboll beyond this season.

The Athletic: Rank No. 5​

From Dane Brugler, The Athletic:

Favorite pick: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State

Darius Alexander was exactly what the Giants needed to complement Dexter Lawrence, and Cam Skattebo is an ideal running mate to pair with Tyrone Tracy. But let’s not overthink this one. Carter has the type of burst off the ball that strikes fear in the eyes of blockers and will help the Giants’ defense get off the field. New York has an impressive collection of talent on that side of the ball.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Marcus Mbow, G, Purdue

Considered a potential top-100 pick, Mbow fell to Round 5, mostly because of positional-fit questions. The Giants will be hoping he can provide depth at both guard and tackle as a rookie and show enough to be considered a long-term option, especially with right guard expected to be a need after the season.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Experts hand out final grades for Giants in 2025 NFL draft

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